Orvis Pro 30L, a Waterproof backpack for Fishing.

The Pro 30L from Orvis is a waterproof, durable backpack designed specifically for fishing. It can also double as a hiking and paddling pack. How does that work? Let’s take a look.

Let’s start with the build. The Pro 30L is constructed from 840-denier abrasion- and puncture-resistant ballistic nylon. It is finished with a TPU coating both on the interior and exterior of the fabric for water additional tear strength and water resistance.

The pack features a single water bottle pocket, two padded hip straps with zippered pockets, a single primary compartment laced with a waterproof zipper and two internal organization pockets. There are also two padded shoulder straps, external attachments for fishing poles, a hidden lumbar pocket for nets and such, and a vertical zippered pocket on the exterior. It holds roughly 30 liters of equipment in the main compartment, has smaller accessory points for scissors and such, and retails for $329.

Build wise, the Pro 30L is stout. The 840 denier fabric is designed to handle abrasion, scrapes and even hooks with no issue. It is extremely durable and would easily survive being dragged across rocks, briars and basically anything else that can be thrown at it. The shoulder straps and hip straps are a more prone to damage as they are constructed from breathable foam and fabric nylon, but these aren’t high wear areas so I am not worried about them. The zippers are stout with rugged pull tabs and robust teeth that haven’t gave me any trouble. The TPU coating is holding up great with no signs of delamination or discoloration. The stitching is all consistent and holding up great to heavy weight as well. Basically, no concerns over the build quality.

Comfort wise, the pack is O.K. The padded shoulders and hips are nice and reduce pressure points, but the overall shape of the pack leaves a bit to be desired as it doesn’t have much in the way of structure. The back panel is padded which helps to add some support and padding, which is appreciated. As long as things are packed thoughtfully enough to avoid lumpy sections inside the main compartment it feels fine. It stays comfortable enough with about 20 pounds or less stuffed inside. Beyond that and the shoulders and back panel start to become less comfortable.

The zippers are robust and do a good job of keeping water out. However, the zippers are very stiff and require lubrication to slide well. This also helps to keep out water between the teeth. I have purposefully made it a point to ignore the care instructions and so far, about 3 months in, things have been fine. Still, it is recommend to keep them lubed and clean for long term viability.

Organization on the pack is actually rather thoughtful. Fishing poles and nets slide right into their designated pockets while the large primary compartment happily holds tackle, hiking supplies, layers, or whatever you wanted to stuff inside. The two zippered pockets are good for smaller items, like phones, keys, or other fishing accessories. The retention leash for the water bottle pocket is a nice addition, and I liked having the hip pockets for snacks and things I may need to grab often.

Overall

It’s a great little pack for what it is designed to do. It’s robust, does an excellent job of keeping things dry, and has all of the organization I can really ask for. The zippers are quite stiff which I didn’t like, and lubricating them is an (occasional) pain, but otherwise I really liked the pack for its intended purpose. It also doubles as a decent wet weather hiking pack, and I’ve taken it paddle boarding with great success, so those are additional perks and use cases for it. It’s priced well enough, the weight is O.K., and it is sized just about perfectly in my experience. If this is a niche that works for you, I would recommend it.